SMH: AFL for bandwagonners

[RogueSwan]

a bit of a laugh

I couldn't see this posted anywhere else, so here it is.

I like this one

Barry ? An incomparable genius and champion, whether used as a first name (as in Hall) or surname (as in Leo)

[Mel]

Very good I've forwarded it on to all my colleagues so they can have a laugh

[NMWBloods]

"Disposal ? What Sydneysiders will do with their season tickets when the team stops winning"

[barry]

Those jokes are getting a bit old. Fair enough in 1996, but is there really still a substaintial block of people who dont understand the basics of AFL. I doubt it.

[Mel]

I would believe it Barry. Last week when I was talking about the Barry Hall incident, I had two of my work-mates ask who he was. They weren't joking.

[R-1]

We're still a minority code in a city that sport as a whole doesn't dominate.

[RogueSwan]

Originally posted by barry
but is there really still a substaintial block of people who dont understand the basics of AFL.

My mum. She would like to know the rules, but " it all just looks a bit too chaotic to follow."
There maybe 5% of the people at my work who don't struggle to keep up with what is going on.
what do you consider the basics? 6 points between the big sticks and bounce the ball when you run with it.

[Dave]

Originally posted by barry
Those jokes are getting a bit old. Fair enough in 1996, but is there really still a substaintial block of people who dont understand the basics of AFL. I doubt it.

My boss is a classic example.
He is a big ra-ra fan (ex Shore school) and came in on Monday after admitting he watched the match and said "It's (AFL) not a good game though"

I said that it's the biggest code in the country and he should embrace it because it is our national sport (football wise). He couldn't handle it. So then I went on and said that one of the stars on Sat was an ex-Shore boy and that it is now starting to be played in private schools. At this point he changed the subject.

He still believes that Rugby Union is going to take over Australia.
Poor deluded @@@@wit!

[RogueSwan]

Originally posted by Dave
He still believes that Rugby Union is going to take over Australia.

My Dad used to teach at a predominantly rugby school. When he took the year 7 and 8 kids for sport he had much better success getting them to play Aussie Rules over Ra-Ra. The kids enjoyed it a lot more than the more rigid structure and rules of union.

[barry]

Originally posted by RogueSwan
My mum. She would like to know the rules, but " it all just looks a bit too chaotic to follow."
There maybe 5% of the people at my work who don't struggle to keep up with what is going on.
what do you consider the basics? 6 points between the big sticks and bounce the ball when you run with it.

Yeah the basics I'd say are:
Understanding the concepts of:
- How the scoring works.
- Where the teams are (roughly- ie. mostly in Melb, but some spread all over the country).
- Skills: Marking, handballing, kicking, bouncing.
- One of two swan players

Perhaps even what "flooding" is.

I'd guess maybe 5-10% of people who have some interest in sport would fail that test.

I'm amazed at the level of understanding of our game in Sydney. There seems to be a very wide range of low level support. I guess the TV saturation over the last 20 years has acheived that.

[Agent 86]

Originally posted by barry
but is there really still a substaintial block of people who dont understand the basics of AFL. I doubt it.

They don't. And they don't want to. Small minded & quite happy with that.

It's the same type of people who whisper words like "Asian" & "@@@" 'cos it's not racist when you whisper it.

P.S. I only know this because I just had lunch with her.

[Rizzo]

Condolences (not the Hally type) to you Agent 86 on the passing of Don Adams.

[raen]

{yeah, sorry about Don, Agent 86}

That article is hilarious. I started watching AFL at the beginnning of season '96 and it was a brilliant co-incidence that the Swans made it to the gf that year-- I stayed on loving them despite the loss-- or maybe because of it-- my first year of loving them and we didn't get the flag! I was addicted and have been waiting ever since to see them win. But I do admit to taking a long time to work out the rules!

[Sanecow]

The free kick when the ball goes over the boundary from a kick-in without being touched is as obscure as en passant capture in chess. I could see that as being tricky but the rest is pretty simple.

[Mel]

Originally posted by Sanecow
The free kick when the ball goes over the boundary from a kick-in without being touched is as obscure as en passant capture in chess. I could see that as being tricky but the rest is pretty simple.

I don't think the rule is that obscure. My husband (NRL man) watched the game on tele on Saturday with some mates and he told them that he thought it was because nobody touched it from the kick in, and that was only a guess from a man who has only watched the odd game of footy during the past three years.

I have much more trouble with all the different penalties they have in NRL; scrum, tap, drop out etc. I never seem to be able to remember what award goes with what penalty. Not that I really care